Politics

Bayelsa 2023: Diri, Sylva locked Horn In Massive Offensive For 2nd Term

Published

12 months ago

April 29, 2023

The outcome of the recently concluded 2023 general elections, undoubtedly, shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has a tall mountain to surmount in the predominantly riverine Bayelsa State where the ruling people’s Democratic Party, PDP swept aside its rival parties, clinching eight of the National Assembly seats (three senate and five House of representatives) and again maintained its dominance in the State House of Assembly winning 17 seats.

The election and APC’s recent primary also exposed the seeming lack of unity and cohesion in the opposition party, which could turn out to be its undoing in the November 11 governorship election unless its leaders put aside ego and personal ambition to commence genuine reconciliation of aggrieved members. As a party in Bayelsa, the APC, no doubt, revolves around Chief Timipre Sylva, the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum and one time governor of the state.

APC astoundingly lost a senatorial seat in the zone of its leader and candidate for the forthcoming governorship poll as well the Reps seat in his Southern Ijaw federal constituency homestead to its bitter rival, the ruling PDP. The senatorial zone is expected to influence the outcome of the November poll. The APC made an inroad in the state assembly winning five seats while the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, clinched two seats. Incidentally, the two seats won by APGA were based on protest votes over alleged imposition of candidates gunning for third term by the PDP.

For a party that against all odds brought to an end the nearly 20 years of PDP rule in 2019 governorship election until providence played a cruel joke on it following the verdict of the Supreme Court which sacked its governor-elect, few hours to his swearing in over alleged discrepancies in the names of his running mate, the 2023 general election was a blow to the APC in the state. Interestingly, the battle for the soul of the state is now shifted to the Creek Haven, the Bayelsa Government House. So, the question is who can dislodge the incumbent Senator Douye Diri, the man fondly referred to as a miracle Governor because of the circumstances surrounding his ascendance to power.

Already, the race is panning out as a straight one between Diri and Sylva, who are both looking for second term. While Diri is currently serving his first term, Sylva served between 2008 and 2012. The PDP and its candidate, Diri will be heading to the battlefield as a united and formidable front with a remarkable and intimidating scorecard of achievements. Diri who hails from Kolokuma/ Okpokuma Local Government Area, was a Senator, ex member of the House of Representatives, and former Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state.

He was also a teacher, and former Organising Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress, a position that drew him closer to the grassroots which may have influenced his governance style and ability to relate well with all as well as providing leadership for his party which resulted in the tsunami witnessed in the just concluded general elections in the state. His supporters claim that he has the support of the people because of his developmental strides.

Today, many riverine communities which hitherto could not be reached by road are now motorable. Many believe that he remains the man to beat come November 11 given his intimidating credentials of achievements in the last three years. “We have not witnessed a situation like this in Bayelsa State where in a major election, not a single life was lost. No security threats, kudos to the incumbent government. He has also won the hearts of Bayelsans. I never believed I would ever travel by road to my ancestral homeland at Angiama in Southern Ijaw LGA in my life time because of the nearly 60 years of failed promises by successive governments at the state and national level but Diri was able to break the jinx.

“Also, our senior citizens are now getting their pension regularly as well as their gratuities on time. That’s for a fact. I get to hear different testimonies from neighbours and other citizens,” Elder Ebiye Accra stated. However, the APC candidate, Chief Sylva, the Okpoama born politician from Brass LGA could be described as the strongest among those jostling to wrestle power from the incumbent having held one of the juiciest portfolios at the federal level as a Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and as a former governor of the state.

He has the requisite war chest and connection at the federal level to actualize his ambition of returning to Creek Haven but all cannot be said to be well with his party in which some members have accused him of running the party as his private estate. They blamed the abysmal performance of the party in the state at the 2023 polls on him. The primaries that threw up the party candidates before the poll, they argued, was one-man show. Will Sylva repeat David Lyon’s 2019 feat?

Though his army of supporters believe he has the magic wand to repeat the David Lyon feat of 2019 insisting he was the unseen hand behind the APC victory at the poll having backed Lyon to emerge as candidate, findings, however, show that most of the aspirants who contested against him are unhappy with the conduct of the election and the result declared. There is also the fear that some of those who lost the party primary to Sylva may work against the party.

In order to brighten APC’s chances, watchers of political events in the state are of the opinion that the APC national leadership must reconcile the aggrieved aspirants and others who have since turned their backs against the party. Eradiri, Osuluka, Subiri, others eye seat Also in the race is Engr Udens Eradiri of the Labour Party, LP. The former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide and former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment under the Seriake Dickson administration is one of the youngest candidates jostling to occupy the Creek Haven.

The Agudama-Ekpetiama-born youth activist turned politician will be banking on the youths to actualise his dream having served as a youth leader at both the central (Bayelsa) and national level of the Ijaw nation. Waibodei Subiri of the All progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, is said to be a former teacher and surveyor. He promised to focus on youth empowerment, noting that the only way to achieve a better state is to get a greater percentage of youths involved in governance. For Binalayefa Joshua Osuluku, a legal practitioner and candidate of the Social Democratic Party,SDP, promised to work for the victory of his party by unseating the PDP in the governorship election and bring about a paradigm shift in the governance of the state.
VANGUARD

Related Topics:Bayelsa Douye Dieu Timipre Sylva

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Politics

PDP Crisis: Drama As Dino Melaye, Ortom Exchange Words During Meeting [VIDEO]

Published

22 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Editor

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, was involved in a hot exchange with ex-governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

Melaye accused Ortom of anti-party activities during the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking at a North Central zonal leadership meeting of PDP in Abuja on Wednesday, Melaye said Ortom’s anti-party activities led to PDP losing both the presidential and governorship elections in Benue.

He expressed surprise that the former governor could attend a PDP meeting despite his previous disloyalty to the party.

This led to a hot exchange between both PDP chieftains.

During the 2023 election, Ortom had teamed up with the G-5 governors led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to work against PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

While other members of the group worked for President Bola Tinubu’s victory, Ortom backed the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Video:

Dino Vs Ortom at PDP North Central Zone leadership meeting.
Melaye expressed surprise at Former Governor Ortom ease in attending a PDP meeting despite his previous disloyalty to the party. The two engaged in a heated exchange during the encounter. pic.twitter.com/Y8WTycJ88q
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) April 18, 2024

Politics

NNPP Faction Suspends Kano Governor For Six Months

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

A faction of New Nigeria Peoples Party under the leadership of Major Agbo on Tuesday suspended the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, for six months over his failure to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend an alleged Infraction against the party’s constitution.

Yusuf’s suspension was announced by the National Secretary of the faction, Ogini Olaposi, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat, Olaposi disclosed that the Board of Trustees took the decision to suspend the governor in the interest of the party.

The factional secretary said they have yet to come to terms with what the governor, a national figure who was elected on the platform of the NNPP, was doing at an ‘illegal national convention’ of the Kwankwasiya group led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in Abuja on April 6.

He said, “We called this media conference to brief you on developments resulting from the recent invitation to Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano to appear before a disciplinary committee to explain infractions on the party constitution.

“Nigerians need to know the position of the New Nigeria People’s Party following the failure of the governor to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to explain the reason(s) His Excellency, who was elected on the party’s platform and a national figure of NNPP participated in an illegal/ factional national convention of NNPP held by the Kwankwasiya group at Wuse 2 in Abuja on Saturday, 6th April.

“The leadership of the NNPP to strengthen our internal disciplinary and democratic measures, most especially in the area of party supremacy without prejudice, is left with no other options than to decisively take necessary action according to the letters of NNPP Constitution 2022 as amended.

“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of New Nigeria Peoples Party and the unanimous decision of the National Working Committee of our great Party, His Excellency, Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State is hereby suspended for six months with immediate effect.

Reacting via a phone chat, the National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, described the purported suspension as a joke taken too far by ‘a bunch of clowns’ who he claimed had long been expelled from the party.

“Gov Abba Yusuf was suspended in what capacity? These people are not members of the NNPP. They only want to make news. We don’t know them because they are not members of our party. After all, they have all been suspended, and there is a court order banning them from parading themselves as party members.

“So, how can non-members of NNPP suspend a governor? They are just clowns having fun because you can only suspend someone if you have a party. They don’t have a party and INEC has a record of members of the party. They are just out there making people laugh,” he stated.

Politics

Edo Guber: Trouble Looms As Imansuangbon Seeks Disqualification Of Akpata As LP Candidate

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

…files suits in Benin, Abuja in pursuance of Akpata’s disqualification

An ex-governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, has asked the court to prevent the “alleged governorship candidate” of the party in Edo State from the September 21 election.

In a suit No. FHC B/CS/26/2024, filed at the Benin division of the Federal High Court by his counsel A.A. Malik & Co, Imansuangbon said that Labour Party erred by declaring Olumide Akpata as the winner of the party’s primary conducted on February 23, 2024.

In the suit filed in Benin, Akpata served as the first defendant, LP second defendant while INEC stands as third defendant.

In the suit, Imansuangbon said Akpata was not qualified to have contested the primary having violated the provisions of the section 222(c) of the Nigeria constitution as well as Article 28 of the party’s guidelines for the conduct of the primary.

Imansuangbon further averred that votes garnered by the first defendant in the primary be declared invalid and wasted.

The plaintiff who listed nine issues for determination and 18 others for declaration by the court, asked the court to set aside the LP February 23 governorship primary in the Edo state.

He asked the court to determine if Akpata is qualified to have contested the primary having failed to sign or endorse the indemnity form issued to him by the second defendant.

He also asked the court to determine if the votes garnered in the purported primary should not be voided and wasted in the face of “outright disregard” to the constitutional provisions of the country and that of the party.

Similarly, Imansuangbon asked the court to determine if he that scored the second highest votes in the said primary should not be declared the winner and validly nominated to be the governorship candidate of the LP.

Alternatively, the court was asked to determine if the party conducted the February 23 governorship primary in a manner outlined, prescribed or otherwise circumscribed by section 84 of the electoral Act, 2022.

That the court should also determine if the primary did not run foul of the provisions of section 84(2), (3), (4) & (5) of the electoral Act, 2022.

In his declaration, the plaintiff told the court to bar the INEC or any other agent, from recognizing Akpata as the governorship candidate of the LP for the September 21 Edo governorship poll.

He also called for the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued by the second defendant to the first defendant as the purported winner of the said primary.

While asking for the sum of N20 million as the cost of the suit, Imansuangbon asked that a fresh primary should be conducted not later than 30 days of the judgement of the court.

In a similar suit filed in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata and his running mate to have lied under oat and supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the Abuja suit filed on April 12, 2024, Akpata is the first defendant; his running mate, Alufohai Faith, second defendant; LP third defendant, while INEC is the fourth defendant.

In the suit filed in Abuja division, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata supplied false information to the INEC according to information provided in their form EC9.

He said where Akpata claimed to have been Akpata Olumide Anthony, but filled his name to be Akpata Olumide Osaigbovo.

Similarly, his running mate who said that she was born in 1981, claimed to have had her first school leaving certificate ysame year she was born.

She was also alleged to have gotten three certificates, OND, HND and PGD in the same year in 2005.

According to Imansuangbon, their actions contravene the provisions of section 29(5) of the 2022 electoral Act and also section 182(i),(a) &(j) of the 1999 constitution of the federal government of Nigeria as amended.

He thus sought for their disqualification and restrained from participating in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Imansuangbon Abuja suit was accompanied with the affidavits in support of the originating summon.